An ounce of courage. A leap of faith. Together, they propel two young women to chase a new life—one that’s reimagined from what they might have become.

In turn-of-the-century America, a young girl dreams of a world that stretches beyond the confines of a quiet life on the family farm. With little more than her wit and a cigar box of treasures, Mable steps away from all she knows, seeking the limitless marvels of the Chicago World’s Fair. There, a chance encounter triggers her destiny—a life with a famed showman by the name of John Ringling.

A quarter of a century later, Lady Rosamund Easling boards a ship to America as a last adventure before her arranged marriage. There, the twenties are roaring, and the rich and famous gather at opulent, Gatsby-esque parties. The Jazz Age has arrived, and with it, the golden era of the American circus, whose queen is none other than the enigmatic Mable Ringling.

When Rosamund’s path crosses with Mable’s and the Ringlings’ glittering world, she makes the life-altering decision to leave behind a comfortable future of estates and propriety, choosing instead the nomadic life of a trick rider in the Ringling Brothers’ circus.

A novel that is at once captivating, deeply poignant, and swirling with exquisite historical details of a bygone world, The Ringmaster’s Wife will escort readers into the center ring, with its bright lights, exotic animals, and a dazzling performance that can only be described as the Greatest Show on Earth!

My Thoughts on the Book:

This is a book to savor. It is beautifully written with lovely turns of phrase and vivid multisensory historical detail. The novel tells not one love story, but multiple interwoven stories, and the telling is all the richer for it. Mabel and John Ringling’s story is beautiful, as told, if a bit bittersweet. And Rosamund and Colin’s story, feels both realistic and emotionally charged. The characters are complex and sympathetic, and I love how each character has his or her own story to work through, as well as their shared moments where stories intersect. There are definitely some suspenseful moments, but those elements take a back seat to the character development and the romance.

Highly recommended to fans of literary fiction, romance, and those with a historical interest in the circus. I’ve enjoyed this author’s earlier books and I’m very much looking forward to reading the sister book to this one, The Illusionist’s Apprentice.

Specific to the Audio Edition:

The narrator’s pleasant reading of this audiobook does justice to a beautifully written story. Accents, character voices, and emotions are all handled well, resulting in an enjoyable listening experience.

I borrowed this audiobook from my local library via Hoopla. I was not expected to write a review, but wanted to share how much I enjoyed the book.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, my thoughts are turning to turkey and gravy, and family, and stuffing, and mashed potatoes… and some of the things I’m thankful for… and pumpkin pie. In no particular order. And, since this week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic at The Broke and the Bookish is “Top Ten Books I’m Thankful For,” that’s what I’ve decided to blog about. I’d love to hear what books you’re thankful for too.

The Bible. If you know my reading habits and my beliefs, this one kind of goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. No other book can ever be as life changing or important to me as this one. The overarching story of the Bible is a beautiful tale of God’s love for mankind and his plan of grace and redemption. It amazes me how, after reading it for years, I still glean something new with each reading.

The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cambron. I won an autographed copy of this novel in a Goodreads giveaway. And reading it introduced me to an author who quickly became one of my favorites. Then I got to meet her in person at a writing conference and discovered what a sweet and thoughtful person she is. The book itself is both meaningful and beautifully written, and I highly recommend reading it.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. The summer between second and third grade, the children’s librarian at my local library recommended I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I loved it so much then, and I love it (and the rest of the titles in the series) even more now that I can better appreciate its allegorical elements.

The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands by Lysa TerKeurst. This inspirational nonfiction book reassured me that letting go of busywork is okay, even a good thing, when it makes room for more meaningful activities. It sounds kind of obvious, but it was something I really needed to hear at the time, and still do every now and then.

The Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems. I first heard of this series in a Library conference session where the speaker discussed fun book related activities to do with kids, such as using elephant and pig masks or puppets along with these books. My kids and I love the humor and the fun of reading and acting out these characters’ antics. In fact, these books have played a part in some of our family’s most enjoyable reading experiences.

The Haven Seekers Series by Amanda G. Stevens. This series exemplifies what I would like to see more of in Christian fiction. A thought provoking premise, realistically flawed characters, and Christian themes that are neither preachy nor superficial. You’ll want to start reading with Seek and Hide, the first title in the series, but I think it’s the fourth and final one that’s my favorite, called Far and Near.

The Story Equation by Susan May Warren. Susie and fellow author Rachel Hauck presented and demonstrated the story building concepts from this book at a writing conference I attended before this book had become a book. I was fascinated by what I heard, but had to miss half their talk in order to keep my appointment to pitch my novel to an agent. So you can imagine I was thrilled to find this book a few years later and fill in the missing pieces. I’m in the midst of reading it now, and already planning to read it through again.

A Broken Kind of Beautiful by Katie Ganshert and Not in the Heart by Chris Fabry. These were the books that first introduced me to two of my favorite authors. Both use beautiful language to tell the kind of meaty and discussable story that I find fascinating, and that can be perfect for a book discussion group.

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer. This book holds a special place in my heart because the heroine is a librarian like me, and the hero is a blacksmith like my husband. It was also my first taste of this author’s humorous writing style. It’s been way too long since I’ve read this one though, so I’m thinking I may need to revisit these characters again soon.

So those are a few of the titles that came to mind, when thinking of books I’m thankful for. Which books would you put on your list?

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor’s story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairy–tale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels like she’s stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy their future before it even begins.

Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future with the man she loves.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped Nazi-occupied Prague in 1939 and was forced to leave behind her half-Jewish family. Now a reporter for The Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, she has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains them and fight to protect all they hold dear–even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

My Thoughts:

Kristy Cambron’s The Butterfly and the Violin (see my review) was one of my favorite reads of 2014. I was impressed by its beautiful portrayal of hope in the form of art amidst the horrors of war. I also loved the way the contemporary and historical storylines complemented each other. This second novel in the series follows in its predecessor’s footsteps, continuing William and Sera’s contemporary story, while introducing a new set of historical characters through which to portray hope in seemingly hopeless circumstances.

I greatly admire this author’s writing style. The description, imagery, and symbolism found in both her books so far are simply gorgeous. So much so that I found myself highlighting one beautiful passage after another, intending to re-read and share. Let’s just say that there are far too many of these to share them all! You’ll just have to read the books.

Well, okay. Here’s just one example from Chapter 28:

“Collages dotted the room, hung on the wall with old tacks or pinned to lengths of twine draped along the back wall. Theirs was art fashioned from life in Terezin; the children’s expression made from old newsprint and label paper from old cans. They used what they had. Stretched where they could. And all the while, Kája tried to believe that she wasn’t feeding them false hope.”

There’s a lot to love in this story. The characters are complex and engaging. The storylines and situations are compelling and emotionally charged. In fact, the only thing that bothered me about the storytelling was that I found myself skeptical of the reasoning behind a couple of decisions made by Kája in the historical storyline and William in the contemporary one. I can’t go into detail without risking spoilers, but let me hasten to say, I still enjoyed the story a great deal, and would not hesitate to recommend it, particularly to anyone who enjoyed The Butterfly and the Violin (which you really should read first).

The romance between Liam and Kája is well written, and they seem quite well suited, but I have to admit that some of the scenes with Dane and Kája turned out to be among my favorites in the book. I also loved the scenes with Sophie in both the historical and contemporary storylines that centered on the cross, the clock tower, and the sparrows. There’s some beautiful symbolism and a touching message there.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a complimentary electronic copy of the book via NetGalley for review purposes.

A mysterious painting breathes hope and beauty into the darkest corners of Auschwitz – and the loneliest hearts of Manhattan.

Manhattan art dealer Sera James watched her world crumble at the altar two years ago, and her heart is still fragile. Her desire for distraction reignites a passion for a mysterious portrait she first saw as a young girl – a painting of a young violinist with piercing blue eyes.

In her search for the painting, Sera crosses paths with William Hanover – the grandson of a wealthy California real estate mogul – who may be the key to uncovering the hidden masterpiece. Together Sera and William slowly unravel the story behind the painting’s subject: Austrian violinist Adele Von Bron.

A darling of the Austrian aristocracy of 1942, talented violinist, and daughter to a high-ranking member of the Third Reich, Adele risks everything when she begins smuggling Jews out of Vienna. In a heartbeat, her life of prosperity and privilege dissolves into a world of starvation and barbed wire.

As Sera untangles the secrets behind the painting, she finds beauty in the most unlikely of places: the grim camps of Auschwitz and the inner recesses of her own troubled heart.

My review:

The Butterfly and the Violin is a beautiful debut novel that resists categorization. It’s a historical romance and a contemporary romance wrapped into one multilayered yet cohesive story. But it’s not just a romance (or two) either. It’s a tale, set partly amidst the horrors of Auschwitz, about how music and other arts can be a means of worship that can help sustain the human spirit even in terrible circumstances.

I felt that the contemporary and historical stories played off each other well. Both stories revolved around the same question. What happened to the violinist depicted in a particular painting (one that holds significance for the present day characters)? A question raised in the historical portion would be addressed in the contemporary portion and vice versa. At other times, a switch in time and perspective would serve to draw out the suspense and keep the pages turning. It all flowed together effortlessly for the reader… which I suspect meant a lot of hard work behind the scenes on the author’s part.

The contemporary romance was great fun, and I particularly liked William as a hero. The contrasts between his outward power and prestige and the glimpses we get of his vulnerability and approachability, were especially endearing. I’ll also confess that a clever first kiss scene set me to the kind of grinning that doesn’t wipe away easily. The beauty of including William and Sera’s story in this novel, besides being a good story in and of itself, was that it provided respite from the more emotionally challenging parts of the historical story. It didn’t lessen the impact of Adele’s and Vladimir’s story; rather it allowed the reader time to come up for air and process what was happening to them before diving back into the thick of things.

One particularly emotional part of the historical story did bring me to tears, a testimony to the closeness I felt with the characters. And yet, the overall tone of the novel, both the historical and contemporary portions, was one of hope. That’s quite an accomplishment considering the setting and subject matter. I wasn’t at all sure how the historical story would end until the very end of the book. But just like Sera, I felt I had to know what happened to Adele and Vladimir.

I admire the author’s skill in bringing the reader into the reality of the story with vivid details and three dimensional characters, developing the reader’s emotional investment with the characters, and yet never letting the story become overwhelmingly sad. What a truly beautiful first novel! I’m very much looking forward to Kristy Cambron’s second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin, scheduled for release in April of 2015.

Thank you to the author for providing the free copy of The Butterfly and the Violin that I received in a giveaway associated with the American Christian Fiction Writers’ book club. This book was October’s book of the month, and it made for a great discussion. I would highly recommend it to other book discussion groups… and to readers in general.

One of my favorite passages from this novel speaks so eloquently on the topics addressed, that I feel compelled to conclude my review with a quote:

“She told herself that to have something of worth in a world full of chaos was the very definition of beauty. It felt like a spiritual liberation that couldn’t be silenced. These prisoners, the ones who painted or wrote poetry or played in the orchestra – they refused to let that spirit die. And this, she decided, is why the heart creates.

“God plants the talent and it grows, sustained by a spirit-given strength to endure, even in the midst of darkness. It thrives in the valleys of life and ignores the peaks. It blooms like a flower when cradled by the warmth of the sun. It remains in a hidden stairwell in a concentration camp. It grows, fed in secret, in the heart of every artist.” (Chapter 29, pages 277-8)

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Thanks for stopping by my corner of the Web. I'm so glad to meet you! My name is Karen Collier, but please, call me Karen. I'm a writer and reviewer of Christian fiction. A librarian too. Basically the type to keep an ebook and audiobook handy at all times.

This is where I blog about books, audiobooks, book discussions, writing, and really anything that relates to Christian fiction. I love connecting with readers, authors, and bloggers, so please consider following my blog, connecting on social media, and commenting on any of my posts. I look forward to chatting with you!